Chilling time: 30 mins | Makes: About 6 servings
This casserole is crazy delicious you’ll not mind the calories. The perfect comfort food that’s especially perfect to make on a weekend and ideal for cold nights. This recipe is not hard to pull together but just a heads up, this recipe takes time to make. But I swear that this is worth it!
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 and 1/4 c. plain Panko bread crumbs
4 tbsp butter
2/3 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2/3 c. milk
2 Eggs
1 lb ground beef (I used 85/15.)
1 lb ground pork
3 tbsp oil
Pasta:
2 c. shell pasta
Sauce:
6 tbsp butter
1/4 c. plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 c. beef broth (for this recipe I used low sodium that is equivalent to a 32 oz. box.)
1/2 c. water
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Note: I would recommend starting with less salt and Worcestershire. If needed, add more depending on your taste.
How to make Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake
Meatballs:
Step 1: In a large bowl, add the panko bread crumbs. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the minced garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
Step 3: Adjust the heat to low-medium, then add in the milk. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 4: Into the bowl with panko bread, pour the onion mixture once it comes to a simmer. Stir until you have a very thick mixture. Set aside to cool.
Step 5: Beat the eggs in a separate large bowl. Add in the ground beef, ground pork, and cooled onion mixture. Mix well using your hands. Shape the mixture into about 30 balls and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
Step 6: Remove the meatballs from the fridge. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in batches to the skillet and cook for about 15 minutes until all sides are brown. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Step 7: To a dish, transfer the browned meatballs and set them aside.
Pasta:
Step 1: Following the package directions, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a 9 x 13-inch oven-safe baking dish.
Sauce and Assembly:
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Into the baking dish, nestle the meatballs into the pasta.
Step 3: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes while continuously stirring. Pour in the beef broth, water, Worcestershire, and season with salt and pepper. While stirring often, bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 4: Adjust the heat to low-medium, then add in the parsley and heavy cream to the skillet, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. This takes another 10 minutes.
Step 5: Over the meatballs and pasta, carefully pour the sauce.
Step 6: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- Meatballs:
- 1 and 1/4 c. plain Panko bread crumbs
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2/3 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2/3 c. milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 lb ground beef (I used 85/15.)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 tbsp oil
- Pasta:
- 2 c. shell pasta
- Sauce:
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/4 c. plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 c. beef broth (for this recipe I used low sodium that is equivalent to a 32 oz. box.)
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Note: I would recommend starting with less salt and Worcestershire. If needed, add more depending on your taste.
Instructions
Meatballs:
Step 1: In a large bowl, add the panko bread crumbs. Set aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the minced garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
Step 3: Adjust the heat to low-medium, then add in the milk. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 4: Into the bowl with panko bread, pour the onion mixture once it comes to a simmer. Stir until you have a very thick mixture. Set aside to cool.
Step 5: Beat the eggs in a separate large bowl. Add in the ground beef, ground pork, and cooled onion mixture. Mix well using your hands. Shape the mixture into about 30 balls and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.
Step 6: Remove the meatballs from the fridge. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in batches to the skillet and cook for about 15 minutes until all sides are brown. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Step 7: To a dish, transfer the browned meatballs and set them aside.
Pasta:
Step 1: Following the package directions, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a 9 x 13-inch oven-safe baking dish.
Sauce and Assembly:
Step 1: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 375 degrees F.
Step 2: Into the baking dish, nestle the meatballs into the pasta.
Step 3: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes while continuously stirring. Pour in the beef broth, water, Worcestershire, and season with salt and pepper. While stirring often, bring the mixture to a simmer.
Step 4: Adjust the heat to low-medium, then add in the parsley and heavy cream to the skillet, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. This takes another 10 minutes.
Step 5: Over the meatballs and pasta, carefully pour the sauce.
Step 6: Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
